Public health
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The association between the perceived importance of taste and health benefits and bread-eating habits is still not well recognized referring to products with the improved health value, in particular when it comes to the character of the health modification applied in the food product. In many populations, the crucial issue is to decrease the intake of salt and to increase the intake of fibre in the diet; therefore, modifications in foods concern these components. Thus, the aim of the study was two-fold: (1) to determine the association between the actual consumption of bread and the willingness to eat the bread with the decreased level of salt and the bread with the increased level of fibre; and (2) to determine whether and in what way the perception of the importance of taste and health benefits of bread are linked with the willingness to eat bread with the improved health benefits. ⋯ It is necessary to increase the consumers' awareness of the health benefits of a product change and to gain their acceptance for the changed taste. The strength of this study is the measure of the amount of bread consumed by consumers as a variable that can be associated with the willingness to eat bread with improved health benefits. Results of our study may be valuable for undertaking activities referring to the public health, including educational activities aimed at the consumers. Thus, a public health campaign is needed to encourage Polish consumers to use less salt and more dietary fibre, which seems to increase the importance of health reasons instead of taste in the selection of bread. The outcomes can also be used by the companies operating on the food market with a particular emphasis on the bread offer to develop communication strategies, including the proper and clear information about the level of salt and fibre content. Moreover, food companies and consumer organisations should exert pressure on the government for greater support for product reformulation, for example, in the form of regulation, enforcing companies to reformulate their products. In fact, a proper policy emphasis on mandatory reformulation to reduce salt in processed foods is likely to be an effective and inequality-reducing route to improve the population health.
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Increasing research capacity is important for health services as part of improving the conduct of high-quality research, which addresses the needs of patients and the public. It is a core function of the 13 Collaborations for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care (CLAHRCs) established in England between 2008 and 2013. This article reports on the development of an innovative capacity building programme in CLAHRC West over an 18-month period (May 2015 to December 2016). It aims to disseminate the learning from the initiative and share our experience with other CLAHRCs. ⋯ The training programme has been highly successful with many courses oversubscribed, and all courses being well evaluated by participants. It has met the needs of local professionals for brief, applied training in research, as well as attracting those from other parts of the United Kingdom, suggesting the courses are both appropriate and helping to fill a gap in provision. We are building on this work to further engage audiences working in areas such as the wider determinants of health and commissioning, as well as primary and community sectors. CLAHRCs are uniquely placed to drive a culture change in the use, understanding and application of research across the healthcare community.